ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam
UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is Geology? - CORRECT ANSWER In its broadest sense, geology is the study of
Earth — its interior and its exterior surface, the rocks and other materials that are around us,
the processes that have resulted in the formation of those materials, the water that flows over
the surface and lies underground, the changes that have taken place over the vastness of
geological time, and the changes that we can anticipate will take place in the near future.
Igneous rocks for from? - CORRECT ANSWER magma
A mineral is a ? - CORRECT ANSWER naturally occurring combination of specific
elements that are arranged in a particular repeating three-dimensional structure or lattice
Difference between a mineral and a rock? - CORRECT ANSWER A mineral is a pure
substance with a specific composition and structure, while a rock is typically a mixture of
several different minerals (although a few types of rock may include only one type of
mineral)
Earth's core consists mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Earth's core consists mostly of
iron
The outer core is a solid or a liquid? - CORRECT ANSWER liquid
The inner core is hotter than the outer core, but is it a liquid? - CORRECT
ANSWER No, too much pressure
The mantle is made up of? - CORRECT ANSWER The mantle is made up of iron and
magnesium silicate minerals.
, Most of the mantle is solid, liquid, or something in between? - CORRECT
ANSWER The bulk of the mantle, surrounding the outer core, is solid rock, but is
plastic enough to be able to flow slowly.
Is the asthenosphere molten? - CORRECT ANSWER some areas
Continental crust is composed mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Granite
Oceanic crust is composed mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Basalt
The lithosphere is? - CORRECT ANSWER The crust and outermost rigid mantle
what section of the Earth are the tectonic plates? - CORRECT ANSWER Lithosphere
The geothermal gradient is ~? - CORRECT ANSWER the rate of temperature increase
is about 30°C/km
The unit Ma (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER millions of years
The unit Ga (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER billions of years
The unit ka (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER thousands of years
The Phanerozoic Eon started? - CORRECT ANSWER 542 Ma
What moves plate tectonics? - CORRECT ANSWER Convection currents
How old is Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER 4.57 Ga
UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is Geology? - CORRECT ANSWER In its broadest sense, geology is the study of
Earth — its interior and its exterior surface, the rocks and other materials that are around us,
the processes that have resulted in the formation of those materials, the water that flows over
the surface and lies underground, the changes that have taken place over the vastness of
geological time, and the changes that we can anticipate will take place in the near future.
Igneous rocks for from? - CORRECT ANSWER magma
A mineral is a ? - CORRECT ANSWER naturally occurring combination of specific
elements that are arranged in a particular repeating three-dimensional structure or lattice
Difference between a mineral and a rock? - CORRECT ANSWER A mineral is a pure
substance with a specific composition and structure, while a rock is typically a mixture of
several different minerals (although a few types of rock may include only one type of
mineral)
Earth's core consists mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Earth's core consists mostly of
iron
The outer core is a solid or a liquid? - CORRECT ANSWER liquid
The inner core is hotter than the outer core, but is it a liquid? - CORRECT
ANSWER No, too much pressure
The mantle is made up of? - CORRECT ANSWER The mantle is made up of iron and
magnesium silicate minerals.
, Most of the mantle is solid, liquid, or something in between? - CORRECT
ANSWER The bulk of the mantle, surrounding the outer core, is solid rock, but is
plastic enough to be able to flow slowly.
Is the asthenosphere molten? - CORRECT ANSWER some areas
Continental crust is composed mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Granite
Oceanic crust is composed mostly of? - CORRECT ANSWER Basalt
The lithosphere is? - CORRECT ANSWER The crust and outermost rigid mantle
what section of the Earth are the tectonic plates? - CORRECT ANSWER Lithosphere
The geothermal gradient is ~? - CORRECT ANSWER the rate of temperature increase
is about 30°C/km
The unit Ma (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER millions of years
The unit Ga (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER billions of years
The unit ka (time) is? - CORRECT ANSWER thousands of years
The Phanerozoic Eon started? - CORRECT ANSWER 542 Ma
What moves plate tectonics? - CORRECT ANSWER Convection currents
How old is Earth? - CORRECT ANSWER 4.57 Ga
